Good and interesting. I enjoy how this author writes thrillers and is able to surprise me with some twists.

This book kept me thinking about it all during the day! I could not wait to get back to it! The story was spun in such a way that I was kept guessing the whole way through. One of my favorites reads of the year.

If this one isn’t at the top of your TBR for August, it needs to be. When Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is asked to take on a divorce case that resonates a little too close to her own childhood trauma, she begins to reexamine her own trauma.

The Barclays are on the verge of separation with their impending divorce while trying to process the death of their pregnant nanny. Nine-year-old Rose, a sharp object klepto, is suffering from traumatic mutism and may or may not be involved in her nanny, Tina’s mysterious death. This peculiar mute little girl gave me the creeps since page one.

This is the first of Pekkanen’s I have read and I love her writing style and vivid descriptions of both scenery and characters. Pekkanen’s haunting imagery lets the reader easily visualize mannerisms, moods and tension in this heart stopping thriller.

All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Pekkanen presents a gripping tale of deception, intrigue, and the complexities of family dynamics. The author skillfully weaves together a suspenseful narrative centered around the mysterious death of a young nanny and the subsequent investigation into her demise.

The story is narrated through the perspectives of Rose Barclay, a traumatized nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder, and Stella Hudson, a seasoned attorney appointed to untangle the web of lies surrounding the case. From the outset, readers are drawn into the Barclays' world of privilege and secrets, where nothing is as it seems.

One of the strengths of the novel lies in its well-developed characters, each with their own motivations and hidden agendas. Rose's silence and collection of sharp objects add an eerie layer to the narrative, while Stella's own troubled past lends depth to her character as she navigates the complexities of the case.

While the plot is undeniably engaging and filled with twists and turns, there are moments where the pacing feels uneven, and certain plot points are not fully explored or resolved. Additionally, some readers may find the resolution of the mystery to be somewhat predictable or lacking in surprises.

Overall, "House of Glass" is a compelling thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. Despite its flaws, it offers an intriguing exploration of the lengths people will go to protect their secrets, and the devastating consequences that can result. 3.5 Stars

Loved this book so much! I thought the killer could have been any one at different times throughout the book. It kept me guessing and wondering what was about to happen the whole way through. The main character definitely feels like she could have a series about her in her role. Would love to read more about her!

Psychological thriller. Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is assigned to evaluate which parent Rose Barclay should live with once her parent's divorce. Stella and Rose share in common that both suffered childhood trauma and experienced mutism, causing Stella to dig deeper into her trauma. Rose, however, expresses some scary behavior, including violent outbursts and collecting household items to use as weapons. As Stella spends time with the Barclay family, she finds herself in danger. There are some intense moments that propelled the story, some good Deja vu moments that had me guessing wildly, but the wrap up was too convenient and didn't really give me that fist bump moment I was anticipating. I rate 3.5 rounding up though because the story had some great potential.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author

This was a solid, entertaining thriller, which have been hard to come by lately. I’ve been quite disappointed with most thrillers of late.

House of Glass tells the story of a troubled girl, her family, and a lawyer with a traumatic past that had echoes of her current case.

This was not a groundbreaking book, but I didn’t need it to be. The writing was very good, very atmospheric. I figured out part of one reveal but not all of it, and the ending was good, compared to a lot of thrillers. I read this in about 24 hours. If you are looking for a quick, page turning, creepy thriller - I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc.

I will start off by saying that I wished this packed more of a punch than what it did. By the end of the first chapter, I already had creepy child vibes, and I was hooked. I stayed hooked, and then kind of felt let down by the ending. I predicted the twist, and hoped there would be something more twisty to still happen, to pull back in my interest, but that was not the case.

What a book! I enjoyed reading this book to the point that I couldn't put it down! Every time that I thought I knew who was involved in what....I was thrown for a loop! I would recommend anyone that is looking for a fast-paced thriller to pick this up.

This was my first book by this author and it did not disappoint! Rose is a little girl who is a mute after witnessing the horrific death of her babysitter, Tina. Stella is assigned to the case to decide which parent Rose should stay with now that her parents are getting a divorce. Stella is looking for clues but being led astray by Rose's mom, dad and grandmother. Did one of them kill Tina or could it even have been Rose?!? There are many twists and turns as the story unfolds. We even find out some interesting parallel events that happened to Stella when she was a child. I really enjoyed this whodunnit book and I will now be reading more of Sarah Pekkanen! Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 6, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I was so happy to receive this book as I'm such a such a Sarah Pekkanen fan, both of her solo work (Gone Tonight) as well as her co-written thrillers with Greer Hendricks (The Golden Couple, The Wife Between Us, You are Not Alone). If you're ever in a book slump, she's an amazing author to go to.

This is the story of Stella, a best interest attorney who represents children in custody cases. Her mentor knows Stella is equipped to handle challenging and complex situations, which brings us to her client, 9-year-old Roes Barclay. Rose's nanny fell to her death out of a window at the Barclay family estate, and Rose was front row to this tragedy. As a result from this trauma, Rose developed traumatic mutism and refuses to talk to anyone.

Was her nanny's death an unfortunate accident or was she deliberately pushed? Suspicion surrounds the entire Barclay family. A bitter divorce, an affair with the nanny, a child who collects sharp objects, and a whole family who appears steadfast in keeping all secrets hidden. Stella must process her own childhood trauma, sift through the lies and deceptions, while simultaneously serving as counsel for Rose and finding out what really happened.

This was a wild ride and I was truly guessing until the very end! The pacing was excellent and I was kept wanting to pick this book up. I'd give this book 4.5/5 stars and high recommend to anyone in search of a satisfying, twisty thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is a 2.5 ⭐️for me. It was a very meh slow burn whodunnit. It was too slow moving with not much happening, then all of a sudden it wraps up a little too quickly and too perfectly. It required a little too much explaining as to why all the details work to fit her ending. It had definite potential but it just didn’t work for me.

Sarah Pekkanen got me so good!!! Holy moly this book! I requested this solely because of the author, I have read all of her books with Greer Hendricks. I then jumped into reading for a buddy read completely blind to synopsis. I was so happy I did it this way! This book had one of my favorite elements in a thriller, a creepy, sinister child!! It was a domestic thriller, mixed with a whodunnit, that not one of us in the BR was able to guess correctly! We all had different, incorrect, suspicions! I inhaled this book, could not get through it fast enough to figure how who did it! And the short chapters had me saying “just one more chapter” well into the night! Once you start this one, good luck sleeping until you finish it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 6, 2024.
Once again, Pekkanen brings it. I've been in a reading slump and this took me right out of it. In her typical fashion, this is such a psychological thriller, leading you down twists and turns and you will not see it coming. Pekkanen doesn't rely on shock factor to keep the reader going, just excellent, compelling writing. The characters in this book were so interesting and some were super creepy, I seriously couldn't get enough of it. The setting is in the DC area and I found it interesting how there are certain laws that are mentioned in this book that are allowed in some states and others not. Also, I'd never heard of a "best interest attorney" before, and I feel like Pekkanen did a great job researching this and presenting it in story form.
I highly, highly recommend this book!

Sarah Pekkanen knows how to keep a person on the edge of their seat! Sheesh! Thank goodness I was able to read this one with friends because the theories and finger pointing were ever-evolving and I still couldn’t figure out the ending until it was unfolding.

I love a story with a creepy kid and Rose Barclay is one of the creepiest. Suffering from traumatic mutism after she witnessed the death of her nanny, you never can truly tell what she’s thinking…or planning. Stella, a Best Interest Attorney, was hired to determine the custody arrangement of Rose after her parents’ divorce. As Stella spends time with each person in Rose’s life, she begins to suspect something more sinister could have happened to the nanny and she must do her own investigation to ensure Rose is left in the best hands. Everyone has secrets and everyone is a suspect. What Stella uncovers will leave your jaw on the floor and have you ravenous for more of Sarah’s writing!

Not only is Rose creepy but so is the home she lives in. Sarah does such a wonderful job creating tension in every scene inside and outside the house. Not only does Stella have to figure out the complexities of her current case but her tumultuous past is brought into the mix so you’re really getting two stories in one. This is definitely a book that needs to be on any thriller lovers radar!

I received a gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

I loved this! Didn’t see all of the twists coming…this author always delivers. Definitely recommend!

As the best interest lawyer for 9-year-old Rose Barclay whose parents are divorcing, Stella Hudson finds herself entangled in this affluent family’s twisted web of lies, especially as it pertains to the bizarre and sudden death of the child’s nanny. In this highly dysfunctional family, no one is beyond reproach, and as Stella probes for answers, more questions continue to arise. But Stella, who faced her own emotional trauma as a child, feels a certain kinship to Rose and is determined to stay the course in order to provide this young girl with whatever help she needs.

Boasting an interesting and intriguing premise for sure, I was pulled into this slow-burn mystery right from the get-go and continued to remain engaged right up until the very end. It did lack a level of intensity that I personally crave, and the addition of Stella’s love interest felt a bit forced and coming out of left field, but overall, I found the “House of Glass” to be an enjoyable, creepy, psychological read. Sarah Pekkanen is a great storyteller, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future.

DNF @ 20%

I've enjoyed this author in the past but found this to be too slow and the writing felt a bit clunky. Wish it hooked me like I expected but not this time.

✨ARC Review✨

I will start off by saying that I wished this packed more of a punch than what it did. By the end of the first chapter, I already had creepy child vibes, and I was hooked. I stayed hooked, and then kind of felt let down by the ending. I predicted the twist, and hoped there would be something more twisty to still happen, to pull back in my interest, but that was not the case.

House Of Glass centers around the death of the family nanny, with Rose Barclay right in the center of things. Rose is a nine year old who doesn’t speak and has a weird fascination with sharp objects. Her parents are divorcing, and she witnessed the death of the nanny. Enter Stella, a lawyer appointed to determine a custody recommendation for Rose, but also uncovers the secrets surrounding the death of the nanny. Everyone is a suspect, even the child…

What’s On The Pages:
-a murdered nanny
-lying to protect the ones you love
-a creepy child
-overprotective parents and a grandparent
-secrets
-a house with no glass

✨Rating✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

A special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC! House Of Glass is out August 8th!

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. This is one of those books that makes you suspect everyone but you are still shocked at the end when you find out the truth. I really enjoyed this book. It was fast pace and I couldn’t put it down!